The Rest Will Wait
by AtLoLevad
Summary: Ziva comes home with news for Tony. She visits Gibbs first.
Ziva calls Gibbs when she finds out.

He is still - still, after three years - the man she wants to - needs to - tell everything.

Or, at least one of the men.

But Ziva can't talk _to_ Tony. She has to talk _about_ Tony.

So Ziva finds herself standing on Gibbs' front porch, a small carry on bag clutched in her sweaty hand. It's been three years, so she knocks. Shakily.

There is no answer from inside, but then again, Ziva didn't really expect one. Gibbs is probably in his basement. A small smile plays at her lips. It is nice that some things never change.

She waits another minute, gathering nerve. This will not be an easy conversation, but it is a necessary one. She takes a deep breath and pushes open the door, stepping into familiar surroundings.

It's almost physically painful, the memories that hit her. It's silent on the first floor, as usual, but the faint scratching of tools on wood is heard if she listens closely. It _smells_ the same - whiskey, sawdust, firewood.

Ziva bites her lower lip against the tears that spring to her eyes. She will not have this conversation while crying. She just won't. She knows what she will do with either outcome.

Dropping her bag gently to the couch, Ziva moves silently - some habits are hard to break - and peers down into the basement.

"I know you're there," Gibbs' voice calls up, gruff and slightly exasperated and oh so comforting to Ziva's ears. "Stop creepin' around and come on down."

Ziva snorts a little and steps lightly down that stairs. "Still working with vinegar over honey, I see, Gibbs."

"Ziva." Gibbs turns, a little surprised. "Thought you were DiNozzo."

Her stomach flips at the sound of his name.

"No," she laughs, "I am not Tony."

She leans against the railing for the stairs and they remain in silence for a few moments. Gibbs turns back to his...something. Ziva peers at the woodworking bench, but can't figure out what her former boss is working on.

"Didn't expect to see you, Ziva," Gibbs comments, sounding distracted and non-chalant as he carves away. But Ziva knows Gibbs and she knows that when he speaks, he knows exactly what he is saying.

She chooses her own words carefully. "I...was not expecting to come..." Her voice catches on the word 'home.'

Home has been so many things to her in her relatively short life. Places, a concept...people. She is not sure what D.C. is anymore.

"Didja come here just ta stare?" Gibbs mutters, still focused intently on his project.

"No," Ziva sighs. "I have a reason."

"Gonna get to it sometime today?" Gibbs says and Ziva could swear she hears amusement in his tone.

"Yes," she says emphatically. But then falters.

Gibbs sighs and puts down his chisel. He leans against the workbench and says, "This have anything to do with DiNozzo's disappearances?"

Ziva takes a minute to study Gibbs' face. He is not accusatory or angry. He looks like he knows the answer. He looks tired...and old.

She nods, "He visited me. In Tel Aviv. In Paris. In Berlin."

She doesn't tell him that the trips weren't random. Rather, planned like a Best of Tony and Ziva tour. She doesn't tell him that she had reached out to Tony, desperately missing him. Angry with herself for pushing him - all of them - away.

She doesn't tell him that when Tony had first showed up all those months ago in Tel Aviv she had broken down. Atoning for sin was lonely business.

But Gibbs doesn't need to hear any of that.

"I figured," he says simply, as if this had all been inevitable. And then he goes silent, waiting for Ziva to explain why she's in his basement in the middle of the night and not at Tony's place.

"I am pregnant," she says finally. Gibbs' only reaction is to raise an eyebrow.

Ziva feels like stomping her foot on the ground. An eyebrow raise!? That's the only reaction her news gets?

"Are you happy, Ziver?" He asks and her old nickname warms her.

She shrugs, "I think so? I did not...I was not sure...I could."

"Any reason you told me before DiNozzo?" Gibbs asks.

Ziva shrugs again. She's not sure.

Gibbs phone lets out a short chime. He looks at the display. "Figure it out. DiNozzo's on his way over."

"What?" Ziva's jaw drops. "Why?"

"Found a lead," Gibbs shrugs. He looks Ziva in the eye, "Tell him. I gotta feeling he'll be happy, Ziver."

His steely gaze softens and the corner of his mouth lifts in a classic Gibbs half smile, "Being a dad. It's the greatest thing a guy can do."

Ziva nods. "I have already taken so much time away from Tony."

She starts up the stairs, intending to head Tony off before Gibbs and the case could distract him. She was halfway up when Gibbs called out to her.

"Proud of you, Ziver."

She smiles to herself.

* * *

It takes Tony another ten minutes to get to Gibbs' house. Ziva knows. She times him.

"Hey! Boss!" Tony shouts as he enters through the perpetually unlocked door. He turns the corner into the kitchen and "Jesus!"

Ziva can't help the small smirk that forms when Tony jumps back, hand clutched to his chest. "Hello, Tony."

"Ziva!" He exclaims, squinting at her as if he's making sure that he's not hallucinating. "What are...you're not..."

"I have to - wanted to - see you," she says, fully aware that Gibbs has gone completely silent down in the basement.

"Oh," Tony is, for once, speechless. "Oh. Okay."

She reaches out and grabs his hand - it feels so natural! - "Come outside? It is so nice out."

Tony shrugs, "Okay." He falls into step next to her, "Gotta say, it's nice to see you on familiar territory, Zee-vah."

She laughs. "It is not like you have not seen me recently."

A month ago. Santorini.

She'd avoided the beach because of the tiny swell of her stomach. He hadn't minded.

"Yeah," Tony grins now, "but that's not the same. You're home. Or, in Gibbs' home, anyway."

Home.

Ziva smiles as she thinks about what she has to tell Tony.

Maybe she has found home in a person this time.

They stand on Gibbs' porch and Tony leans against the railing, "Gonna explain why you're here, Z?"

Her hand drifts to her stomach, an action Tony definitely notices. Mercifully, he says nothing.

"Do you remember Rome?"

Tony grins, "How can I remember a city we barely saw?"

"Tony!" Ziva tries to admonish him, but ends up laughing instead. "Be serious!"

"I'm always serious!" Her former partner, current lover, and best friend retorts, unable to keep a straight face for more than a few seconds.

Ziva can feel that they are dancing around the point of her visit, so she blurts, "I am pregnant."

She's slightly surprised by the broad grin that spreads across his handsome features.

"Ziva! I'm gonna be a dad?" he looks so excited, features becoming puppyish.

A mute nod is all she can manage. But that's enough for Tony. He grabs her in a huge hug and spins a little.

When he puts her down, big goofy grin on his face, Ziva hates to ruin the moment. But she does.

"I know this is not an _ideal_ situation," she murmurs. "You are here and I…am not. I know you love NCIS and will not want to leave your job. I am sorry that it happened like this Tony. I do not mind…"

Tony cuts her off with a sharp hand motion, "Don't even think it Ziva. You're not doing this alone and we're not being separated by oceans and continents and miles anymore."

"But," she protests, "There are so many things to think about. I do not have a job here. I do not have a place to live and I will not impose on you. We are barely in a relationship, Tony. I have everything back in Israel, I can not just up and leave."

She frowns, "Tim and Abby and the rest, they will be furious with me for leaving. As they should be. But I do not want a child growing up in an environment where there is anger."

Tony grabs her face in his hands, "That stuff's just details. All I need to know is if you want to be with me, raise this kid with me."

She doesn't hesitate when she says yes.

"Then," Tony shrugs as if it's the easiest thing in the world, "the rest will wait."

* * *

 _A/N: I'm not even going to talk about the finale, because I *will* cry, so moving right past that._

 _This one's based on one of Pascal Campion's drawings that I saw on Tumblr. God that man is so talented. I'm sure all three of these guys are a little out of character, but I'm out of practice. This was kind of fun and kind of sad to write, but I hope you guys like it. Let me know what you think! :)_


End file.
